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FS getting better with adjustments to life

Posted , 7 users are following.

annie1963
annie1963

I have had FS since November 2015, its now August 2016 and it is getting better.  Who knew that a forum like this would help me more than any doctor could.  I've been on this forum for awhile.  I have other issues.  I searched for shoulder problems, etc.  and found this one.  It seemed to fit.  I found out after several weeks of PT that it was probably making it worse.  But I had an injury at work and I had to basically do whatever they told me to.  They finally sent me to a specialist who told me that PT was the worst thing they could've done in the beginning stages, but it is what it is.  So he gave me a shot, then said to do very gentle stretching and exercises that did not hurt.  So here I am many months later getting better bit by bit.  I have learned a lot.  Like don't try to pick up more than a few things at a time. Don't carry my purse strapped over my right shoulder.  When I drive I use my left arm most of the time and use cruise control as much as possible.  At work, I get help when patients want someone to push, pull or lift.  I try to sleep on my back, and use lots of pillows all over the place.  I have learned that a dusty house is okay.  Weeds won't kill me.  Automatic car wash is better than agony.  Button up shirts are a life saver.  Since I was injured at work, I have a lot of leeway in what I wear and activities like the lifting and letting patients pull on me.  But I am sure I have coworkers that probably think it's not that bad.  My thoughts are that one day they will have an unseen illness and they will maybe understand.  When I walk in to work I remember that it's great to be able to still work.  Regardless of my limitations.  I have had several things over the past 5 years and I am truly fortunate to still be able to work.  There is no way I could afford to live alone, have the life that I have, if I could not still work.  When I get depressed about all this I think of the alternatives.  Living with relatives, or having to get rid of all my belongings and live in a little apartment with nothing to look forward to.  I just have to remember these things.  I like living alone.  I like my house.  I like being able to get up and go or not whenever I want on my off days.  

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • tara75402
    tara75402 annie1963

    Posted

    Hi, Annie

    I, like you, have had Frozen Shoulder since last November.  My affliction is thanks to a hurried pharmacist who misplaced my flu shot.  It has been the longest winter of my life, but with summer came some relief in the form of a Fluoroscopy - probably improved things by about 20%, but in the life of Frozen Shoulder, that's a lot!  I never even knew what Frozen Shoulder was until it became my misery.  I hope to never relive this.  I also slept with many pillows, was grateful when my husband worked out of town (love him dearly but any time he would move in bed, it created utter agony for my shoulder), used button up shirts and had to be creative with driving.  I kept working (school counsellor) just to keep my emotions from losing it from lack of sleep - it wasn't easy on 3-4 hours rest a night!  Once I hit the thawing stage, I kept testing how far I could reach in different directions to remind myself of the dim light at the end of the tunnel.  I also constantly reminded myself of my brother-in-law who lost use of his arm in an accident....my pain at least assured me I still had an arm that I would once again be able to use.  If more doctors/researchers suffered from this, I figure there would be a cure by now - so much conflicting information is out there, I learned more from reading people's stories than from the research!  Best wishes for full ROM, restorative sleep and no pain, fellow sufferers!

    • frozen_stiff
      frozen_stiff tara75402

      Posted

      Not uncommon these days I would suspect pain after injection into the deltoid. But it could hardly be a frozen shoulder. I am looking as I ? type at the anatomy of that area.The injection must have been given into  the upper part of the deltoid muscle and the shot entered the subacromial bursa. The fluid would probably not be absorbed as it would do in muscle and so irritate the inside of the bursa. You say that if more docs suffered there would be a cure. We know the cure, it is time. It is it seems badly diagnosed.  Every stiff and painfull shoulder is FS these days. If it still gives you grief ask for a shot of painkiller and cortizone into the bursa.  So look at the anatomy and see if you can find anything I have described on the web. 

    • tara75402
      tara75402 frozen_stiff

      Posted

      Interesting that you can refute a diagnosis when you've never met me...Ten months after this started, having gone through a freezing-frozen and now-thawing stage, having seen two specialists and two physios (all whom have diagnosed frozen shoulder after a misplaced flu shot), followed up by a cortizone shot and then another under xray...I'm going to go with "frozen shoulder" and trust the specialists who have actually examined me.  

    • annie1963
      annie1963 tara75402

      Posted

      It seems that some people have one train of thought and never become open to other things. Saying you don't have FS proves that! My doc said they do not know what causes it, so it's simplistic to judge your problem based on whatever frozen stiff has learned or been through. Whatever it is, whatever caused it. It's painful, it sucks, and we are here to support each other!

    • alison41082
      alison41082 annie1963

      Posted

      I agree Annie! It's crazy painful and whether you want to call it stiff or frozen it's the same symptoms, same recovery, and we are suffering through it together! I just Wish I would hurry up and get to the not so painful part! But it's encouraging being on this forum and exciting when people reach that step and exciting when people move again!

  • jules815
    jules815 annie1963

    Posted

    I've also been suffering with FZ since November.  Peaked around the holidays with those zinger like electric shock pains that I'd get from a sudden movement or bump to my body.  (left side)  I've had one cortisone injection and was sent to months of physical therapy.  The therapy was painful, affecting my neck and caused numbness to the left side of my face.  I finally stopped the therapy and continued with gentle exercises at home, and I'm doing surprisingly better.  My ROM is still pretty limited, but not as horrible as I've read about some having.  Things are gradually becoming easier to do; washing my hair in the shower, getting dressed, etc., all a little easier to do, and thankfully haven't experienced one of those zinger pains in a very long time.  I believe I'm now in the thawing stage.  Coming up on a year now, and I hope to someday regain my full ROM.  

    Hang in there everyone.  It does eventually get better.  

  • cynthia93831
    cynthia93831 annie1963

    Posted

    Annie. So glad to hear your good news. I started PT last Dec for my FS. PT was too rough. I stopped in May and have improved every month. I was in so much pain I would wake up in tesrs. I did what you did. Little things, not using my arm to hold my purse. Driving with my left arm. I had help around the house. I live alone also. Even changing the bed sheets was a chore. Didn't worry about the weeds I do not have the pain anymore and getting better on my ROM I think we are on the end of this awful disease. People have no idea what agony we have gone through.

    Keep up the good work!!!!

  • alison41082
    alison41082 annie1963

    Posted

    Thanks Annie for your positive email! I'm only at the 3 month mark and it is good to hear when people are feeling better! I still feel like I get worse and worse everyday! I did stop the intense pt and now just so little stretches but I feel like I am losing more rom? So a little scary! So you didn't try any surgical methods to recover?

    • jull
      jull alison41082

      Posted

      I heard that sometimes fs will heAl itself but can take up to two years. I had so little rom and was in do much pain I was excited to do mua. Definitely helped me. Good luck
  • cynthia93831
    cynthia93831 annie1963

    Posted

    I neglected to say that if it wasn't for this forum I wouldn't be doing as well as I am. Reading everyone's statements about their FS symptoms let me know I was not alone. I'm so grateful to have found this site. Thank you for sharing.

    • jules815
      jules815 cynthia93831

      Posted

      I feel the same way.  When I started having FS symptoms, and then during the stage where the pain intensified, this forum really helped me tremendiously.  I felt like I wasn't alone.  It definitely gets better.  Hang in there.

  • jull
    jull annie1963

    Posted

    My fs began 10/15. At first only bothered me at night in Jan it began to bother me and limit activities pt definitely helped me stay unfrozen for a while. I finally had mua in June and am still going to pt to get back 100% of my rom. I think you have to have docs and pts that know what they are doing and are familiar with fs.
  • madiniah33615
    madiniah33615 annie1963

    Posted

    I can soooooo relate to most of ur story..

    All the best with the positive attitude and healing

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